Balcombe History Society
Newsletter - January 2010
Dear Members
Our Spring Programme of Talks covers several topics related to Balcombe and Mid Sussex. We are very pleased also to introduce two new Sussex research projects which provide opportunities for us to participate. One is from the West Sussex Records Office and another is from East Sussex County Council Archaeology Section. Details are shown below.
Jasmine Waters has kindly undertaken the role of Membership Secretary and we welcome her to the Committee. Peggy Stoner resigned due to ill health last year. Our thanks to Peggy for her work with us.
The Spring Programme
Please make a note of the dates below:-
The Talks are held at the Victory Hall, starting at 8.00pm. Tickets at the door are £1 for members and £3 for visitors. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments are served, providing a time to exchange ideas with other members.
Annual Subscriptions are due from 1st January. Please pay, if possible, at the January meeting. Subscriptions are unchanged: For couples £10 and for singles £6.
Wednesday 27th January 2010
DR ANNABELLE HUGHES - “Introduction to Historic Framed Buildings – looking at some in Balcombe.”
Dr Hughes is a Research Consultant on historic buildings. She has been recording and researching early buildings in Sussex for 25 years. Documenting the research about the Crown pub at Horsted Keynes was a recent project after the fire there.
There will be a small exhibition of local building materials.
Friday 12th February
GILLIAN EDOM – Project Leader of “Joining Up Our Heritage,” a project of West Sussex Records Office. The aim is to enhance the Tithe Maps data base which has the details of the holders of the parcels of land on the map. This project will enable local groups to make their archives more accessible to the public. Balcombe residents are invited to participate. (see below).
This illustrated talk will describe the wealth of information available.
There will be a display of some early Parish Magazines (see below).
Tuesday 9th March
LYN PALMER – “The Weald Revealed: Exploring the wooded landscapes of the Weald Forest Ridge.” Lyn is Historic Awareness Project Officer for Weald Forest Ridge of East Sussex County Council Archaeology Section. 40% of this landscape is woodland, whose archaeology is often hidden. The project aims to help people identify these hidden features. Resources include new technology (eg. by radar), to view through the tree canopy.
Note - The Annual General Meeting (at 8.00pm) will precede the Talk. An agenda and annual accounts will be circulated in advance.
Mini-Exhibition - International award winning cartoons by Ross Thomson (the Balcombe artist) will be on display. Ross has been awarded over 80 international awards for his cartoons; and a few of them will be on view.
Thursday 8th April
HEATHER WARNE - “Farming in Balcombe and the Ouse Valley in the mediaeval period” – covering the manorial system in Balcombe which will give an understanding of the settlements on which Balcombe grew. Heather Warne is a local landscape historian who has researched records of Keymer Manor from Mediaeval times to the present day, covering Hassocks, Burgess Hill and Balcombe. She is also Archivist to Arundel Castle and President of Burgess Hill Local Historical Society.
Local History Research Teams
Our three Study Teams will welcome additional helpers. Details of their aims are in the September Newsletter. Any enquiries – please contact Harry Malthouse (811 252)
Joining up our Heritage
Members will be invited to join a new team to take part in this project. Details will be available at the February meeting.
Donations to the Archive
We are very grateful to the family of the late Mrs Pat Pope for the collection of Parish Magazines. These span the years 1950-1991. Pat was co-editor with Dorothy Siddaway for many years. Any offers of previous editions will be welcome.
We shall have another interesting year!
Graham Gosney
Chairman